A case of chicken chop

If you are wondering whether being officially diagnosed with a fictitious disease like “chicken chop” would help substantiate your application for sick leave, it is interesting to note that the Employment Act 1955 doesn’t specifically require or allow the employer to investigate into the validity of a medical certificate, even if the contents may seem suspicious. Sick leave entitlements for employees subject to the Employment Act 1955 only require an examination by a registered medical practitioner or medical officer.

Some company policies may, however, require the employee to agree to allow the employer to make necessary checks and verification with the clinic or hospital. Some employers may have reasonable grounds to suspect that medical certificates provided to them may not be genuine. Checks and verification of this nature should of course be subject to the usual principles of doctor-patient confidentiality and the Personal Data Protection Act.

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